Senior captain Johnny Johnson Jr. was the only player in Division III Section I voted First Team All-Section on both offense and defense. Photo by William Lange

After finishing with the school’s best record in four years, 13 members of the Maricopa High School Rams football team – led by two-way player Johnny Johnson Jr. – were voted onto the 2015 Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Division III All-Section I team by the conference’s coaching staffs.

For much of the year, Maricopa sat atop Section I. The Rams’ combination of a powerful offense and stubborn defense led them to the school’s best start in over a decade (6-0). Opposing coaches took notice as four members of the team were named to the All-Section I First Team.

Johnson Jr., a team captain, was the only player in the section named to both First Team Offense (wide receiver) and First Team Defense (defensive back). Johnson finished the season with 782 receiving yards, 238 rushing yards and 13 offensive touchdowns. He also led the section with five interceptions.

“Johnny is a great football player,” McDonald said. “He doesn’t often get the credit he deserves because of his lack of height. He just plays the game hard though and he shows a lot of character. He was spoken highly of by opposing coaches, and he’ll be missed.”

Other players selected to both offensive and defensive teams include senior all-purpose player Isaiah Pedro and senior center and team captain Nikolai White. Pedro was named to the First Team Defense (defensive back) and Second Team Offense (wide receiver), while White was named to the Second Team Offense (center) and Honorable Mention on defense (defensive line).

“It’s encouraging that we have so many juniors [named to the All-Section team], and that we have seven defensive players coming back next year” McDonald said. “We also have a lot of sophomores that were in starting roles this season that will get more opportunities moving forward. We’ll still be missing four starters on the offensive line though, so guys will need to step up for us to build off this success.”

MHS players honored are:

First Team Offense:
Quarterback – (Sr.) Aaron Owens
Wide Receiver – (Sr.) Johnny Johnson Jr.
Offensive Line – (Sr.) Andrew Earle

First Team Defense:
Defensive Back – (Sr.) Johnny Johnson Jr.
Defensive Back – (Sr.) Isaiah Pedro

Second Team Offense:
Wide Receiver – (Sr.) Isaiah Pedro
Center – (Sr.) Nikolai White

Second Team Defense:
Defensive Line – (Jr.) Dakota Halverson
Linebacker – (Jr.) Jackson Stensgard

Honorable Mention:
Offensive Line – (Sr.) Austin Troyer
Wide Receiver – (Jr.) David Owens
Offensive Line – (Jr.) Nicholas Carbajal
Linebacker – (Jr.) Claytin Valenzuela
Linebacker – (Jr.) Eanis Olmos
Defensive Line – (Jr.) Johnny Smith
Defensive Line – (Sr.) Nikolai White

Adam Wolfe
Adam Wolfe
http://inmaricopa.com
Adam was born in New Haven, Connecticut, but spent the majority of his young life in Lakeside, Arizona. After graduating from Blue Ridge High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He has been working in the field of journalism since 2010. Adam has worked in a wide range of fields including professional sports and international media relations. He has also been a breaking news reporter, sports columnist, government reporter and community reporter. He spent a year in Denver, Colorado before coming to Maricopa in 2015. In his spare time, he will often be found enjoying the great outdoors. If he isn’t hiking or fishing, he is likely hopelessly cheering on his Arizona sports teams. Adam was born in New Haven, Connecticut, but spent the majority of his young life in Lakeside, Arizona. After graduating from Blue Ridge High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He has been working in the field of journalism since 2010. Adam has worked in a wide range of fields including professional sports and international media relations. He has also been a breaking news reporter, sports columnist, government reporter and community reporter. He spent a year in Denver, Colorado before coming to Maricopa in 2015. In his spare time, he will often be found enjoying the great outdoors. If he isn’t hiking or fishing, he is likely hopelessly cheering on his Arizona sports teams. Adam was born in New Haven, Connecticut, but spent the majority of his young life in Lakeside, Arizona. After graduating from Blue Ridge High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He has been working in the field of journalism since 2010. Adam has worked in a wide range of fields including professional sports and international media relations. He has also been a breaking news reporter, sports columnist, government reporter and community reporter. He spent a year in Denver, Colorado before coming to Maricopa in 2015. In his spare time, he will often be found enjoying the great outdoors. If he isn’t hiking or fishing, he is likely hopelessly cheering on his Arizona sports teams.
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